Wicked The Musical - The Prequel to The Land of Oz

Taking Costa Mesa by ‘tornado’, Wicked hits the stage and transforms the Segerstrom Center for the Arts to the ‘Land of Oz’. Wicked is Broadway’s biggest blockbuster by Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman, based on the novel by Gregory Maguire.

‘Wicked’ is based on the best-selling 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire and the winner of 35 awards including a Grammy and three Tony Awards. ‘Wicked’ is said to be the untold story of the witches of Oz. Taking a spin on a movie we all know too well, ‘Wicked’ serves as a ‘prequel’ to what we know today of the ‘Wicked witch of the West’ and ‘Glinda the Good’. 'Wicked' answers questions such as: the origination of the wicked witch of the west, glinda the good, as well as the origination of the additional characters, and many more.

“The return of Wicked to Segerstrom Center for the Arts has generated a great deal of excitement,” says Terrence W. Dwyer, president of Segerstrom Center for the Arts. “The broad appeal of this beloved Broadway musical attracts a tremendously enthusiastic audience.”

Many attendees filled the theater waiting for the spell to be cast and view what all the rave is about. ‘Wicked’ is a story of all ages, and will have everyone belting its famous tunes for the duration of the evening. The cast and crew for ‘Wicked’ is ‘Wicked’-ly amazing, in a leauge of its own, and a sure sight to see!

Some fun facts for this one of a kind performance below:

-The cast uses 250 pounds of dry ice per show on Broadway and 200 pounds per show while on the road

-The dragon’s eyes are red LED bulbs that never burn out

-The dragon’s wingspan is the same as a Cessna 172

-The show has 90 wigs, using 70 during any given show. All are made of human hair, and made individually for each actor, using their own hairline in the front.

Clifton Davis as Dr. Dillamond! Photo Credit: Joan Marcus

Starting off in San Francisco a little less than 10 years ago, there is still something that differentiates this musical from others. Opening October of 2003 ‘Wicked’ is approaching its 10th anniversary and its 4,000th performance and is currently its 12th longest-running show in Broadway history.

Segerstrom Center for the Arts is a unique art institution and a multi-disciplinary cultural campus committed to supporting artistic excellence on all of its stages which offer an experience that engages the community through live performances and inspiring programs.